Safety attachment for hoisting machinery.



G. F. ROYER.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR HOISTING MACHTNERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1914.

.NTR

rHs NoRR/s PETERS CD PHOTO LITHO WASHINGFON L:

G. P. ROYER.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT POR HOISTING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1914.

1,129,733. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

T0 all/whom t mag/concerm Enrica.

GERGE r ROYER; or wrLKEs-BARRE;`i ENNsYLvAN1A- 'SAFETY ATTACHMENT 'ron HOIST'INGMACHINERY.

'Specification' of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb; 213i, 1915@ .Applicatiencfiled May 12,` 1914. Serial IIa-.$38,186.

-Be it-knownthat I-,vGEoRGE F. ROYER, a

citizen of= the2.United-States, resident of .Wilkes-Barre-Luzerne county, iState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain'new land useful lImprovements in Safety: Attachments-for Hoisting-Machinery, of-whieh thelfollowing :isf a specification.

-Thepresent invention lrelates to improves? mentsfin means for controlling, orsafety attachmentswforf-hoisting? ojr elevatingv inachineryand .,isup-artioularly 'adaptedfor use Y inconneetion withfmine hoists.

III-ftheV accompanying Vdrawings:Figure 1;" isaplan-View of an.l embodiment ofthe in;.v

AventiongfFigf 2.is anelevation;-.-Fig.3 -is ar 'l' vertical sectional view'; Figari is-a-sectional* K.viewthrough aportion of the-brakeactuat- Qing cylinder and itscontrol-ling valve mech-f-` anism; lfigs. 5, (3f-'7` and-8 are detail views.

.VVhile-the invention is adapted for use Vwith machinery-operated by steam; electric- `.gity or-;1any'other suitablemotive power, it l will, forpurposes ofldescription, be consid-v* inwhichz'a.steanrengineis'emplOyed to actu# ered asapplied to mine hoisting 'machineryfy -ate af-wilnding drum or drums. As embodiments offthe invention-may manifestly be applied to oie-used in connection with any suitableengine7 winding drum; cage, etc., suchparts of a--mine hoist are` not illus- Inthe drawings', A'adesignates a shaft which is shown as mounted in suitable bear-3 cured to one lend-,a sprocket A which-isconings' on af-pedestal-like-gsupport and has se-` .v nectedby 1.a chain C `withtheenginedrumf shaft C,on-whichl the winding drum is mounted or by'fwhich saidLA drum is `adapted.

to bedrifven. A y

- At its Aoppositeend the shaft A is provided with a bevel pin-ion a which-meshes lwith al corresponding bevel 'a' at the lower end of a sleeve D mounted in Aa; bearing on thesup- 'portingv pedestal. A shaft E extends through the sleeve D to which it is connected byv a vsuitable key permitting the shaft to be i adjustedlongitudinally of thesleeve whileh rotating therewith; and adjacent` its upper -l of @the lever-likefarms F of a centrifugal lzfspeed governorth'e outer ends of said arms having mounted thereon-spherical Weights f. v fTothe-low'er end ofthe shaft E is secured a: disk -efwhich is provided .ad]-acent its pe-' riphery -With a dependinglug e. =As the speed of theengineshaft -varies the'shaft E will be moved vertically by the action of the Weights f and meansare providedawhereby when an undesirably high, ordangerous, speed is attained or the-winding=cable has been wound to :the desired extenton its drum, the lug e will be caused Ato 4automatically efiect operation of-fthe brake -mecha- -nism provided for checkingrotation of the winding drum orgengineshaft.

A'gear a2 on the shaft Avmeshes 'with a 'gear g on a counter shaft G Whichfshaft is geared to av worm gthatfen-gages arworm gear H mounted on an-arm projectinglater- -ally from the pedestal B. AThe several parts are so `proportionedthat-theworm Wheel H -yvill-make --less` than a complete rotationaduring the maximum permissible length of travel of the. cage or car of the hoisting ma- -chine to'whichthe invention is applied.

The worm -wheel H is preferably recessed on its .upperface and said recess is partly covered by .a plate l which is securely attached to the'hub of the Worm Wheel so'that itwill always turn therewith. To the .cen-

.tral -stud or post about whichthe worlIl` -Wheel turns is pivotally'connecteda lever yarm K that extends radially ofthe wheel beyond the periphery thereof and into a socket or recess formed in the head L atthe upper end of a sleeve LI whichis shown as" extending through the top plate ofthe supporting pedestal n The -head L vis-pro'vided-with a laterally projecting arm L2 which vextends beneath theJ disk e at the lower end ofthe governor actuated shaftxE and lies -within `the path ofthe. lug e on said disk when the latter 'has beenl shifted downward from its v normal position a predetermined extent.

connected by a suitablepipe with an outlet p3 at one end of a valve casing P"(shown in section in Fig'. 4) the opposite end of which is in communication with a brake actuating cylinder Q.. The valve casing P is divided into two chambers by a piston P having a pressure equalizing port p formed therein; and a spring P2 cooperates with said piston and an end wall of the casing to act to retain the piston on its seat. To the opposite face of the piston from the spring P2 is attached a slide valve P2' adapted to control communication between an inlet port p and the brake actuating cylinder (s), and between said cylinder and an eX- haust port 02. The inlet port 7) of the valve casing P is in constant communication with the main pressure pipe of a fluid pressure brake mechanism; and when the engine is operating at normal or permissible rate of speed the disk N will close the ports 0 and, through the equalizing port p, the piston P will be subjected to equal pressure on both faces and the parts within the valve casing occupy the positions shown in Fig. 4: in which the slide valve P3 cuts off communication between the inlet port p and the cylinder Q, the latter being in communication with the exhaust port p2. If, however, the speed of the engine increases beyond the desired limit the centrifugal governor will lower the shaft E so that the disk e thereon will be caused to turn the valve'rod M and its attached disk valve N to open the ports 0. This causes a reduction of pressure on the adjacent side of the piston P so that the pressure of the main line, acting through the port p', will move the piston against the action of the spring P2 and shift the slide valve P3 to admit pressure to the brake actuating cylinder Q, and thus apply the brakes and check movement of the winding drum or engine shaft. When the ports 0 are again closed the pressure in the valve casing on both sides of the piston will be equalized and the spring P2 will return the piston to its normal position shifting the slide valve P3 into the position shown in Fig. 4.

The invention also includes means by which, even if the speed of the engine shaft or winding drum during a hoisting operation does not exceed the desired limit, the brake mechanism will be automatically actuated if through oversight, or accident, the operative in charge fails to stop the hoisting operation when the cage has been raised to the landing level or permits the cage to approach the landing at an undesirably high speed. For this purpose the worm wheel H is provided with an upwardly projecting cam member adapted to cooperate with the lever K to raise the arm L2 into the path of the lug e. The cam member referred to coniprises a plate R extending parallel to the periphery of the worm wheel and having at one side an arm r that extends beneath the plate I and is provided with a depending pin 1" that extends into a suitable socket or opening in the base of gear H. On its outer face the plate R is provided with two inclined or cam surfaces R and R2 and with said surfaces are adapted to coperate a linger s and a roller s on an arm S that is secured to and depends from the lever K. The cam surface R is relatively long and corresponds to the normal or proper movement of the worm wheel during each hoisting operation. That is, when the machinery is properly controlled the projection or finger s at the lower end of the arm S will travel over the cam surface R, but this will not lift the arm L2 above the plane of the dotted line Y (Fig. 3) or into the path of the governor actuated lug e. The two cam surfaces R, R2 are separated by a gap or space of suflicient size to permit the finger s to pass therethrough so that as the cage or car reaches its landing said linger will have passed from the cam surface R and being above said gap or space the lever K and arm L2 will fall to their normal position.

To prevent the arm S from interfering with the return movement of the worm H and the cam plate R, the cam surface R is preferably formed on a member which is pivotally connected as at T2 to the plate R and during the return movement of the worm wheel said cam member will be rocked about its pivot to permit the finger s to pass beneath the same and into position to ride over the upper surface of a face of said cam on the neXt operative movement of the cam wheel. If through oversight or accident the operator does not stop the movement of the machinery when the worm wheel has been turned so that the space or gap referred to is in alinement with the finger s, and the lever K and arm S can fall to their normal positions, as above described, the second cam surface R2 will coperate with the roller s and impart suiicient additional lifting movement to the arm L2 as to bring it into the path of the governor actuated lug e and consequently effect actuation of the brake mechanism, as previously described. As thus described, the apparatus is complete if but a single winding drum is employed. 1t is, however, customary in mine hoists to employ at least two winding drums so related that the cage or car attached to one will be ascending while the other is descending by which arrangement one cage may be loaded while the other is unloaded. In such constructions it is common to connect one of the winding drums rigidly with the power shaft while the other is connected therewith by a suitable clutch permitting it to be disconnected at will. To adapt the present invention for use with such a hoisting mechanism, the worm wheel H is provided with a second cam member T similar to that before described but arranged in such relation thereto that it will coperate with the lever K during movement of the wheel in the direction which carries the cam member R away from its operative position. As shown, the periphery of the plate I, or a sufficient portion thereof, is provided with teeth z' and the arm of said cam plate T is provided with a tooth or teeth i. A leaf spring, as r3, connected with the arm t of the cam plate, for instance to the depending pin and coperating with abutments on the lower face of the plate I, may be employed to hold the cam plate securely in the desired engagement with the teeth z' and proper position on the worm gear H.

It is necessary that the cam member T be disconnected from the worm wheel when the clutch connecting the corresponding winding drum with the power shaft has moved to release said drum. To effect this, a bell crank U, fulerumed on a depending lug on the top plate of the supporting pedestal, has its upper arm provided with a notch adapted to receive the depending pin of the cam plate T. The other arm of said bell crank U is connected with the lever or other device (not shown) for actuating the clutch, by which connection of the aforesaid winding drum with the power shaft is controlled. It will be seen that when the bell crank U is rocked by the action of unclutching said drum from the power shaft, the cam plate T will be moved bodily radially of the worm wheel H sufliciently to disengage it from the plate I and will be held stationary by the bell crank which, as shown, has a recess or notch that receives the pin t. lVhile the winding drum provided with the clutch referred to and the cam plate T are thus held stationary, the cage or car connected with said drum being at this time in alinenient with a landing, the drum that is permanently connected with the power shaft will be actuated to raise or lower the cage connected therewith until it is opposite the desired landing. The proper distance between and relation of the two cages being thus established, the second drum will be again clutched to the power shaft, this action releasing the cam plate T and permitting the spring coperating therewith to effect rengagement of said cam with the toothed periphery of the plate l. Thereafter, as will be evident, the lever l will be actuated to effect operation of the brake mechanism if the worm wheel H is moved beyond the proper limits in either direction, regardless of the speed at which the engine shaft or winding drums are moving.

To assist the operator in controlling the machinery, a signal, adapted to be automatically operated from the mechanism hereinbefore described, is provided. This comprises a lever V fulcrumed on a stud or post e2 rising from the head L, at the upper end of the sleeve L. This lever is of such length that one end thereof projects beneath a flange on the disk c. The other end thereof is connected by a link with a signal plate lV which is pivotally mounted on a projection from the post or stud about which the worm gear H turns. As the governor actuated shaft is forced downward the lever V will be rocked about its fulcrum and the signal plate W rocked about its pivot. lVhen the disk e has been depressed so that its lug c is operating in the plane indicated by the line Y, Fig. 3., which is the position assumed when the winding drums or engine shaft are rotating at normal speed, the plate W will occupy the position indicated by dotted lines at W". Should the speed of the drums or shaft be increased further downward movement of the disk e would cause the plate W to assume the position indicated in the dotted lines at f2 even before the valve disk N is actuated to set the brake operating devices in operation. The same result, that is shifting of the signal plate from the dotted line position WV to the dotted line position ll, will occur if the operator fails to stop the winding devices when the upper cage has reached the de'- sired limit of its movement and the sleeve L is raised by action of the cam plates R or T, as previously described.

From the foregoing description of the drawings, it will be seen that the invention provides a very simple and positively acting means for controlling elevating machinery and by which the power shaft will be stopped when the speed thereof exceeds a predetermined limit or if the operator does not properly reduce the speed as a car approaches a landing.

While the invention is described as including fluid pressure brake mechanism, it will be evident that the fluid pressure devices might be adapted for actuating other controlling means than brakes, for instance to reverse the engine.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a. power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, an actuating device for said valve connected with the shaft and movable to and from operative relation to the valve as the speed of the shaft varies, a member cpnnected with the valve and adapted to be engaged by said actuating device if the speed of the shaft exceeds a predetermined limit at any time, and means for adjusting said member relative to the valve and actuating device to effect movement of the valve when the shaft has completed a predetermined number of revolutions.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combinaton of a power shaft, fiuid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, an arm adjustably connected with the valve, a rotary actuating device connected with the shaft and movable to and from a position where it will engage said arm as the speed of the shaft varies, and means geared to the shaft and adapted to adjust said arm relative to the rotary actuating device, for the purpose described. A

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure brake mechanism, a control valve for the brake mechanism having a longitudinally extensible stem, a centrifugal governor connected to the shaft, a rotary contact member connected to the governor to be shifted thereby to and from a position where it will engage said valve stem and actuate the valve to render the brake mechanism operative, and means connected with the shaft for varying the length of the valve stem, for the purpose described.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, an arm connected with the valve, a rotary contact member movable as the speed of the shaft varies to and from a position where it will engage said arm, whereby the valve will be automatically shifted to render the fluid pressure mechanism operative when the speed of the shaft exceeds a predetermined limit, a gear connected with the shaft, and means moving with the gear adapted to move said valve arm toward the path of said rotary contact member, independent of the speed at which the shaft rotates.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, an arm secured to the valve lstem by means permitting it to move longitudinally thereof, a rotary contact member movable as the speed of the shaft varies to and from a position where it will engage said arm, whereby the valve will be automatically shifted to render the fluid pressure mechanism operative when the speed of the shaft exceeds a predetermined limit, a lever connected with the arm on the valve stem, and means geared to the power shaft and adapted to move said arm toward the path of said rotary Contact member independent of the speed at which the shaft rotates.

6. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination with a power shaft and a centrifugal governor connected with said shaft, of a disk adapted to rotate about the axis of the governor shaft and to move longitudinally thereof, a fluid pressure brake mechanism for the power shaft, a valve adapted to be positioned to effect actuating of the brake mechanism, and means connected with said valve and extending into position to be engaged by said disk when the speed of the power shaft exceeds a predetermined limit.

7. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination with a power shaft, of a fluid pressure brake mechanism including a rotary control valve, a speed governor connected with the shaft and including a rotary member adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of its axis as the speed of the shaft varies, and an arm connected with said rotary valve and extending into the path of said rotary member when the speed of the shaft exceeds a predetermined limit.

8. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, an actuating device for said valve connected with the shaftand movable to and from operative relation to the valve as the speed of the shaft varies, whereby the valve will be automatically actuated when the speed of the shaft exceeds a predetermined limit, and a signal device for indicating the relative speed of the shaft at all times.

9. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination of a power shaft, a rotary member connected with the shaft and adjustable in the direction of the length of its axis as the speed of the shaft varies, a` fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of the shaft, a valve for said mechanism adapted to be actuated by said rota member when 'the speed of the shaft exceeds a predetermined limit, and a signal device adapted to be operated by movement of said rotary member in the direction of the length of its axis, for the purpose described.

10. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, an actuating device for said valve connected with the shaft and movable to and from operative relation to the valve the speed of the shaft varies, a gear r0- tatable by the shaft, and means on said gear for causing said actuating device to operate the valve independent of the speed at which the power shaft rotates when the said shaft has completed a predetermined number ofrevolutions in either direction.

11. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism and provided with a longitudinally extensible stem having at its free end a lateral projection, a contact device rotatable by the shaft and movable to and from a position to engage the valve stem as the speed of the shaft varies, a gear rotatable by the shaft, and cam surfaces on said gear adapted to vary the length of the valve stem to bring the projection thereon into the path of said actuating device, when the shaft has completed a predetermined number of revolutions in either direction.

12. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling said fluid pressure mechanism and provided with a projecting arm, a rotary contact device` geared to the power shaft and movable to and from position where it will engage said valve arm as the speed of the shaft varies, a lever engaging said val\e arm and adapted to adjust the same toward the path of the rotary contact device, a gear connected with the shaft, and means on said gear for cooperating with the lever to adjust said valve arm into the path of the rotary actuating device on the completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of the shaft in either direction.

13. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of said fluid pressure mechanism, a rotary actuating device connected with the shaft and adjustable to and from the position where it can operate said valve as the speed of the shaft varies, and a gear connected with the shaft and provided with a cam adapted to cause said actuating device to operate the valve independent of the speed of the shaft when the shaft has completed a predetermined number of revolutions.

111. In an apparatus for controlling elevating machinery, the combination of a power shaft, a fluid pressure mechanism controlling operation of the shaft, a valve controlling the fluid pressure mechanism and having an extensible stem terminating in a lateral arm, a rotary actuating device geared to the shaft and adjustable to and from said arm on the valve stem as the speed of the shaft varies, a lever engaging the valve stem, a gear connected with the power shaft and provided with a plurality of cam surfaces adapted to coperate with said lever to adjust the arm on the valve stem into the path of said rotary actuating device on the completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of the shaft in either direction, and means for disconnecting one of said cams from the gear at will.

15. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power shaft, fiuid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism,two relatively movable members connected respectively with the valve and power shaft and adapted to be related so that the valve will be actuated by the shaft, a lever adapted to effect relative movement of said members, and a cam rotatable by the shaft and having two separated surfaces adapted to successively act on said lever if a predetermined number of revolutions of the shaft is exceeded, the second of said surfaces moving the lever sufficiently to bring the valve actuating members into operative relation.

1G. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power shaft, fiuid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, two relatively movable members connected respectively with the valve and power shaft and adapted to be related so that the valve will be actuated by the shaft, a gear rotatable by the power shaft and provided with two circumfcrentially separated cam surfaces, and a lever adapted to effect relative movement of the valve actuating members extending into the paths of said cams, the parts being so positioned that the lever is engaged by only one of said cams if the power shaft is stopped on the completion of a predetermined number of revolutions and is engaged by the other cam if such predetermined number of revolutions of the power shaft is exceeded.

17. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controlling movement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, means for operating the valve including two relatively movable members one of which is rotated by the power shaft, a lever adapted to shift one of the said valve operating members, a cam rotated by the power shaft and adapted to cooperate with said lever to effect actuation of the valve if the shaft rotates in one direction beyond a predetermined limit, and a second cam adjustable toward or from the first and adapted to similarly operate the lever on the completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of the shaft in the opposite direction.

18. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power shaft, fluid pressure mechanism controllmg Inovement of said shaft, a valve controlling operation of the fluid pressure mechanism, means for operating the valve including two relatively movable members one of which is rotated by the power shaft, a lever adapted t0 shift one of the said Valve operating members, a gear rotated by the power shaft, two cam members R, T on said gear adapted to alternately coperate with said lever to bring the valve operating members into operative relation as the shaft completes a predetermined number of revolutions in opposite directions, each of said cams including a pivotally mounted member R with which the lever coperates in the normal operation of the mechanism, and a member R2 separated from the member R and coperating with the lever when rotation of the shaft is not properly stopped.

In testimony whereof I aix my signa ture in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE F. ROYER.

Witnesses:

LEWIS F. ZWEIBEL, EDWARD N. NOLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for tlve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

